Founder Head  (HoD): Prof. Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri

Department of Anthropology has been formally started as an independent department within Rajiv Gandhi University from 1^st June 2012 with the joining of Prof. Sarit K. Chaudhuri as the founding head of the department. This has followed by the joining of three Assistant Professors, Dr. Dhritiman Sarma, Dr. Md. Asghar and Ms. Radhe Amung and subsequently Prof. H Vokendro Singh as Professor, representing three fundamental branches of Anthropology. However, the Post Graduate Course in Anthropology actually began in 2001 as part of academic programmes in Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS).

Department of Anthropology is organizing an annual lecture series in commemorative of CVF Haimendorf every year in order to recognize his contribution to the subject as well as the tribal people of India. Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf, is the first trained Anthropologist who worked among the tribal population of Arunachal Pradesh both in pre and post colonial context. He not only made Apatani known across the World but also contributed immensely for the understanding of tribal situation in Arunachal Pradesh.